Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-04

and what ne SaN-1aiH' WIN she
Patients.
The strangers name, age aud business, to-
gether with family history and the names of
relatives and friends, were recorded in big
book DR.. Richards was sent for. After as
surfing the patient that he would not die be-
fore morning, the man was escorted TO ward
Fl and placed under tile care of motherly
head nurse, Miss Booth.
sour private rooms are all engaged" said
she; abut we will take good care of you here. "
Ward H has high ceiling and Is well ven
tilated The floor IS tiled. 1t is cheerful
hall, containing twenty i've cots From the
snowy sheets protruded twenty-four heads of
all sizes, colors and shapes. These heads be-
longed toinvalids in various stages of sickness,
who, like the stranger, was seeking relief. The
tall windows were ornam nted at the top
with colored glass, but there were no decora-
lions on the wall.
"Take off your clothing, said Miss Booth.
"What, right mere, before all these young
ladies'"
"Well, no. The orderly is placing screen
around your bed and you undress behind it. :"
A clean night shirt was passed in and the
stranger stretched his limbs on hospital cot
for the first time in his life
The screen was removed and curiosity made
him forget his aches He asked questions of
his neighbors and of every attendant who
came near He began.to feel on friendly terms
with everybody, when he VAS brought to his
senses by having thermometer thrust into
his mouth.
ave are ordered 10 register your tempera-
ture hourly said the nurse.
Suddenly the attention of everybody was
conferred on the large doors. Something I'M
usual was apparently about TO happen. The
convalescents, who had been Strengthening
out bandages and rolling them up, and anus
ing themselves in various ways, now became
silent, and assumed a sort of military bear
ing. The poor fellows who had their knees
curled up on the cots for comfort straight
ened them out. Silence reigned suprems. 1t
was the inspection, or rather consultation,
hour of the physicians,
DR.. Peabody, the visiting physician; Dr.
Richards, the house physician; DIR. Locke and
an assistant briskly marched into the room,
and the great doors OF the ward were closed
behind them, not to be opened for even the
picslucnt uhlll tut lFhtit''- ut1
over to cot No /, followed by the nurses and
orderlies. They encircled its occupant, and
the orderly took from the wall document
and handed it to the head physician. 1t was
Q full report of the case before them, the
medicine he had received and the notes of the
attending nurses A short consultation was
held, and the orders of the physician were
booked by the head nurse A similar consul
tation was held at the bedside of each pa
tient until they reached the last one. Then
they marched out OF the room, and the ward
was left In charge of the nurses
The corps of nurses were neatly attired in
light blue bingham dresses, spotless white
aprons, and white muslin caps They had
white kerchiefs over their shoulders, on which
were pinned few flowers bronze or sill
yer medal of the Nurses guild was worn at
the throat Each nurse was armed with a
pair of scissors, pair of tweezers and hang
ing pin cushion filled with all styles and sizes
Of pins. sneeze or groan would bring
one of these young ladies to your bedstead in
an instant, day or night
1t was now the strangers turn to receive at
tention. The thermometer scented with car
bolic acid was again put in mis- mouth. His
pulse was timed by small eight day alarm
clock. The nurses had no watches He was
plastered and poulticed until he was red in
the face. They then left him Curiosity led
few OF the convalescents to his side. They
read his bedside notes and chatted in SYM
pathetic tone. To them the reading of the
bulletins and chat with a new patient were
eventful episodes in their hospital lives.
DIT is oil Opp-ansa ono s,o,oo .
private DOM in hospital when you become
very lonesome and are likely to die of ennui
In the wards there is always something going
on to make you forget your sickness, and
when you are not going 10 die yourself there
is something exciting in seeing others die l
know it is the general impression among
those inexperienced in hospital life that pri-
vats rooms are q necessity, but once they
leave them and spend day in a ward they
will not return to them"
Six O'Clock p. m. was supper hour to some,
but aggravation to many, Dietetic iustruc-
tions are rigidly carried out. If patient
required it there was no limit to the food be
might obtain, but there is no guess work
about his requirements. The fever patient
might yell, as one did yell, "For Gods sake
6Aft AAt ooAi4SeAAAAS ~ CdA vi hLGilL eau Tue
bedclothes,n but he only received Just what
his case and condition demanded.
MILK was given in abundance, and sur
prisingly good milk it was, but it was served
ice cold and patient might quaff it at one
gulp If he wanted to. They say one gets
hardened TO the scenes Of suffering about
him, and the stranger believes it. A man at
one end of the hall suffered terribly. He
spoke SO that the solid building fairly vi
brated. Opposite him sat portly dropsical
patient sereneiy eating oyster soup, roast
chicken and rice pudding as calmly as though
at banquet.
Supper over the backs and limbs of the in
valids were bathed in alcohol by the hands
of female nurses. Male nurses would waste
too much alcohol and their rough hands
would irritate bed sores.
Ten O'Clock, and all was quiet save an oc-
casional sigh or moan from some sleepless
invalid.
1t was midnight. Through the row of tall,
crimson capped windows flooded the electric
light, casting upon the walls and ceiling long,
even streams of pale, quivering light. The
form Of the faithful nurse was dimly outlined
in the darkened room
Streaks of daylight finally CLEANED through
the eastern windows. Bedclothes were tossed
here and there, and limbs Of disease laden
bodies in every conceivable direction and
shape were seen The nurses soon put the
ward in order. Their pleasant "Good morn
ing" and earnest and sympathetic inquiries
after your health put every one in good humor.
The orderly distributed soap and water to
those able to wash themselves, and others had
their toilet made for them A barber came
In and with a very dull razor pulled out in
stead of cutting the beard. A peculiar ting
ling sensation was felt when the feet touched
the floor, and was the cause of merriment.
After everything was in order the corps Of
doctors arrived and made their morning in
spection. "Do you know of any good reason
why you should not be discharged" asked the
physician of a convalescent
NO" answered the man.
aTben you are discharged
At the bedside Of the stranger he said to the
nurse: discontinue his medicine. Discon-
unue poultices and plasters. Discontinue
temperature. Give him soft diet and his
clothes"
And they did-New York Evening Sun.
The Man Whom Lincoln Feared.